FOOLED
"Come here quick and watch this!"
"What's going on? I've got this letter----"
"This is some livelier than letter writing, Bill," Gus declared, and a
moment later Bill was of the same mind.
The boys gazed out of the window of their room in the school dormitory
to witness an upper-class reception of one of the freshmen, a lad of
almost tender years, yet husky and of undoubted good nature. He was
expensively dressed to begin with, a little foppish in appearance even,
and it was known that his people were very wealthy. Such as he, then,
could well afford the sacrifice demanded of him to become a member in
high standing of the Marshallton student body. Whatever was done, short
of actual physical injury, must contribute to the violently initiated
youth's general glorification, at least this was the popular impression.
It occurred to but few to make serious objections to that which was
customary in the school.
Hazing, long since taboo or forbidden in many educational institutions,
was still a part of Marshallton Tech, by reason of the belief that a
high mentality and virile spirit demanded the extreme mental and
physical show-down which hazing is wrongly supposed to bring out. Though
severe enough, perhaps the initiations were not so terrible as to call
for much complaint.
"By cracky, that's rotten!" exclaimed Gus, as he watched the progress of
the affair.
"Worse than mean!" agreed Bill.
This comment was called forth as the victim, in his efforts to escape
from his tormentors, had his coat and vest torn from him. In a little
time his shirt was reduced to ribbons. A fine gold watch and its broken
chain lay on the ground among the feet of the struggling boys, and an
unsuspecting heel soon reduced the time-piece to little more value than
the metal in the case. A wallet slid out of a pocket and disgorged from
its folds considerable cash and paper, some of which the bystanders
gathered up with much difficulty. The freshman's panama, kicked about in
the dust, was not rescued until it resembled an uprooted weed.
"We wouldn't enjoy being treated that way," commented Gus, the
sentimental.
"We couldn't afford it," amended Bill, the practical. "That sort of
thing may be well enough for rich fellows, though I think it's rank
foolishness at any time. But, Gus, we've got to dodge it in some way."
Gus made no reply. He was thinking that his chum was right, but,
still interested in the excitement without, he left the usual
whatever-it-must-be with Bill. When Bill spoke again, some few minutes
after the well-hazed youth had made a get-away, Gus listened with
interest.
"We can get the materials," Bill finished, "and it won't take long to do
the work."
And it did not. Having procured a permit from the professor of
physics--and no one could have refused Bill with his convincing
tongue--the boys returned well loaded to their room. They took from a
paper packing box, whose contents had been hidden from the curious, a
lot of wire, some switches, some acid and a number of storage battery
cells.
On their way from the central building the chums had been stopped by a
number of upper classmen. It was mid-afternoon, an optional study or
playtime, and just the hour for brewing mischief. This is what happened.
"Come on there, Freeporters! Put down those boxes; we have a little
business to transact with you," the spokesman called.
Gus gazed calmly at the five militant youths in front of him. Without
undue egotism, he possessed an easy confidence, and he knew that,
barring some bumps and scratches, that bunch would need assistance in
hazing him. He would have complied forthwith, had not Bill given an
ultimatum. With a small box under his left arm, he shifted his crutch to
his left fingers and slipped the free hand into his pocket, drawing
forth about the wickedest-looking pistol that any thug would use. The
five began backing away, the spokesman turning quite pale and the
others, no doubt, feeling much as he looked.
"Would you Indians want to haze me?" Bill asked.
"Aw, no. You're exempt, of course. We don't bother with cripples, kids,
old ladies nor natural criminals." This attempt to be witty trailed off
weakly.
"Well, my friend here is carrying glass and we can't tarry now. Any
interference with him will result in my turning criminal instanter, and
I'm keen to do so. Go on, Gus."
Gus went on, and Bill, with weapon still in hand, followed after. He
turned to call back to the flabbergasted five:
"You can find us in our room any time after to-day. Getting hazed is
really great sport, and we won't pull any guns on you then!"
Hardly half an hour elapsed before there came a knock at the door of the
room occupied by Bill and Gus. A moment before, Gus had been down to get
a pair of pliers that had dropped out of the window and two wide-eyed
lads in the hallway had hailed him:
"That crutch-thumper that rooms with you is in for the G. B.," one had
said and the other had added:
"Say, he must be a blamed fool to carry a gun and pull it here. 'Prex'
won't stand for that."
Bill called a "Come in" in answer to the knock, and no less than
President Field and Professor Whitcomb, both looking very stern,
entered.
"Brown and Grier, I have heard with real pain and very great surprise,
after the letter from Professor Gray highly recommending you two lads,
that you have so soon shown utter disregard for the rules, the standing,
the decency of our institution by carrying and drawing a deadly weapon,
a pistol, and on slight provocation. This is deserving of instant
expul----"
"Sure is, Doctor Field, if it were so. But it isn't. And please, also,
do not hold the idea that it was on slight provocation. They were going
to haze us, or rather Gus here, Doctor. We had just seen something of
this sort, with the result that Fleming, of Chicago, had a ruined suit
and panama, a fine watch destroyed, and a lot of money and papers
probably lost. We came here to study; our means are limited; if we met
with such a disaster our finances wouldn't stand it and we'd have to go
home; that's all there is to it. Now, I can't offer you a cigar, Doctor,
because you don't and I don't smoke, but if I did I'd probably carry
them in this case."
With that Bill drew forth the nickeled pistol again, snapped it open and
disclosed a rather unique cigar case which he extended toward the men.
"Oh, you mean that this thing was----"
"Just that, Doctor. I hope we have respect for the institution to which
we have come for a much needed and wanted education. But I saw no harm
in fooling those chaps who think they have the right to compel us to
lose a lot of time and money. Am I right?"
President Field was human; he tilted back his head and laughed most
heartily, nudging the professor also, in quite a boyish way.
"We are greatly relieved, and I wish you had scared those young rascals
more than you did. Professor, we shall simply have to put a stop to this
hazing--stop it under pain of dismissal. And this joke, now--it should
be mentioned at chapel, eh? I really want to thank you, young gentlemen,
for doing the school a distinct favor."
"We hope to add to the joke somewhat by to-morrow, if you will kindly
hold up that hazing ban for one day."
"And how is that, may I ask?"
"Would you mind if we keep it a small secret until then? We can promise
to refrain from anything dreadful."
"But then we----"
"Please, Doctor. This, if you will trust us, will do more real good than
anything the faculty can do in the way of _verboten_. Just twenty-four
hours, Doctor."
"Well, well, we shall see. From what Gray wrote, I think we may trust
you. Good evening, boys."